TENNIS ACADEMY TEAM
The GoAcademy tennis team is made up of certified coaches, mental coaches, and highly qualified athletic trainers united by a passion for sporting excellence. With technical expertise, a personalized approach, and a focus on the athlete’s overall well-being, we stand out as a leading reference in Ticino for tennis training at all levels—from beginners to professionals.
meet the team
TENNIS
Severin Lüthi
Tennis Consultant
Severin Lüthi is one of the most respected coaches on the international tennis scene. Since 2002, he has been part of the Swiss Tennis Federation’s technical staff, and in 2007, he became captain of the Swiss Davis Cup team.
He is best known for his long-standing partnership with Roger Federer, whom he coached for over a decade, making a significant contribution to the Swiss champion’s successes in Grand Slam tournaments and other major ATP Tour events.
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Gianluigi Quinzi
Head Competitive Tennis
Gianluigi Quinzi, born in 1996, is a former Italian tennis player who grew up in Porto San Giorgio.
At just 8 years old, he joined Nick Bollettieri’s academy in the United States.
In 2013, he won the Wimbledon junior title without dropping a set.
That same year, he reached the No. 1 spot in the world junior rankings.
On the pro tour, he won 2 Challenger titles and achieved a career-high ATP ranking of No. 142 in 2019.
He retired in 2021 at the age of 25 and now works as a coach while pursuing university studies.
Fabio Zotti
Head Tennis School
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Competition B Coach – Swiss Tennis
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National Tennis Instructor – FITP
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PTR Professional
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Kids Tennis Certified
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Official Swiss Tennis Coach
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Coach GS Certified
Passionate about sports, he started playing tennis at the age of 7.
He competed at a high level until the age of 24, reaching a career-high ranking of 2.4 in the FITP and N4 in Swiss Tennis.
After retiring from competition, he attended the National Tennis Instructor School in Rome. Upon graduating, he began teaching tennis to young players.
In Switzerland, he worked as head of competitive training at TC Lido Lugano and TC Bellinzona, and served as head of the tennis school at TC Caslano for over 20 years.
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Christian Perrone
Competitive Tennis Coach Tournament Coordinator
Born in 1983, at the age of 15 he moved to Spain to pursue a professional career. He later decided to work alongside his coach and dedicate himself to teaching.
Best ATP ranking: 1326
PTR Professional
Swiss Tennis B-level Coach
He has coached international-level players such as Edoardo Eremin, Katerina Tsygourova, and Alexander Groet.
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Ivan Raponi
Competitive Tennis Coach
Second-level FITP instructor, Technical Director of the Sporting Club Cassino since 2020, and Competitive Tennis Coach at the Piatti Tennis Center since 2021.
Filippo Peverelli
Base School Coach
Tennis Coach with 13 years of experience and a lifelong passion for the sport.
He has worked with athletes of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to competitive players, providing tailored coaching to support their development and performance.
FITNESS
Dario Novak
Fitness Consultant/Lab Testing
Dario Novak is an international expert in physical training applied to tennis, with over twenty years of experience supporting high-level players. He has worked as a fitness coach for several professional tennis players, including Stanislas Wawrinka, Elena Rybakina, contributing to their physical development and injury prevention. Combining hands-on experience with elite athletes and a strong academic background, Dario Novak is a leading figure in tennis athletic preparation.
Pierre Paganini
Fitness Consultant
Internationally renowned Swiss fitness trainer, famous for his key role in extending Roger Federer’s career at the highest levels of world tennis. Born in 1957, Paganini began his sports career in athletics before dedicating himself to the physical preparation of professional athletes.
His collaboration with Federer started in 1994 when the young player was just 14 years old. Since 2000, Paganini has been Federer’s official fitness coach, playing a crucial role in his athletic longevity and maintaining excellent physical condition. His approach focuses on personalized training that emphasizes agility, balance, endurance, and injury prevention rather than excessive muscle strength.
Beniamino Poserina
Fitness Coach
Former Italian decathlete and current athletic trainer, osteopath, and medical massage therapist based in Lugano, Switzerland. He represented Italy in the decathlon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, finishing 30th. On October 6, 1996, in Formia, he set the Italian decathlon record with 8,169 points, which stood for over 25 years until 2022.
During his athletic career, Poserina won five Italian national titles in the decathlon and three indoor titles in the heptathlon.
After retiring from competition, he earned a degree in Motor Sciences, a diploma in Osteopathy, and certification as a CRS Medical Masseur. In 2005, he worked as an osteopath and masseur for the Italian Athletics Federation.
Giorgio Grana
Fitness Coach/Lab Testing
Graduated in Motor Sciences, he has extensive experience in physical training. He has worked as a fitness coach in demanding, high-intensity sports such as tennis and rowing, supporting athletes in building strength, endurance, and motor control.
His practical experience is enriched by his involvement in endurance sports like running, trail running, and cycling, which he knows deeply both as an athlete and as a coach. He combines this technical foundation with expertise in postural and functional training, thanks to his certification as a Pilates matwork instructor.
Additionally, he is a fitness instructor for weight training and group classes, leading workouts for all levels, and is also a certified wakeboard instructor.
MEDICAL SUPPORT
Carlotta Vercesi
Fisioterapist
Physiotherapist with a four-year degree from Semmelweis University, she has been pursuing further education since 2024 with a Master of Science in Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice at the University of Essex (UK). Specialized in managing musculoskeletal disorders, she has focused particularly on shoulder rehabilitation, training with international experts such as Jo Gibson and Jeremy Lewis. She has completed various courses, including Maitland Level I, pelvic floor rehabilitation, and clinical research methodology in healthcare organizations (University of Modena). She is skilled in advanced techniques such as dry needling. Her practice is guided by an evidence-based approach with a strong patient-centered focus.
MENTAL SUPPORT
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Fausto Donadelli
Mental Coach
Fausto Donadelli is a mental coach with over 18 years of experience supporting athletes, professionals, and teams. He has collaborated with high-level athletes and coaches in sports such as tennis, soccer, cycling, swimming, hockey, and artistic gymnastics. He specializes in stress and pressure management and in unlocking potential through mental training techniques, NLP, and sports psychology. He works internationally and is considered a leading figure in mental coaching in Italian-speaking Switzerland. Among his clients is tennis player Jelena Ostapenko, a professional on the WTA Tour.